Nesrin Abdullah is a commander and spokesperson for the Kurdish militia group YPJ (Women's Protection Unit) in Syria.[1][2][3] She has been active in communicating the progress of the Kurdish and Syrian Democratic Forces operation to liberate Raqqa from ISIS. She was born in Al-Malikiyah of Al-Hasakah Governorate.[4]
She has been involved in the women's defense organization as early in 2011 and in April 2013 she announced the establishment of the YPJ.[5] In 2015 she was part of a delegation of the YPG/J who met with French President Francois Hollande in Paris.[6] She has also stated that she believes that Turkey was involved in the massacre of civilians in Kobanê in 2014 by ISIS. She made the statement while part of a Kurdish delegation that included PYD Co-president Salih Müslim and Kobanê Canton Administration Co-president Enver Müslim to Italy on 23 July 2015.[7]
While in Italy in June 2015 she told the Italian newspaperIl Manifestothat, “we are militants; we are not paid to make war, we are partisans of revolution. We live with our people, follow a philosophy and have a political project... At the same time we are carrying out a gender struggle against the patriarchal system. Other combatants are our comrades; we have political and friendly relations.[4]
